Business Day
*Sadtu members to march on Parliament****Karl Gernetzky and Bekezela Phakathi, Business Day, Johannesburg, 23 April 2013*
THE Department of Basic Education warned South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) members on Monday that those who march on Parliament and the Union Buildings on Wednesday are unprotected, and will face disciplinary action.
Sadtu has not yet ruled out the possibility of a "full-blown strike" as the union continues with its "go-slow" in a bid to get Education Minister Angie Motshekga and her director-general, Bobby Soobrayan, to step down.
On Wednesday, Sadtu members will march to Parliament to hand over their memorandum of grievances.
Sadtu embarked on its "go-slow", which it has dubbed the work-to-rule campaign, earlier this month and announced that teachers would not mark supplementary exams or participate in departmental workshops. Sadtu members also picketed outside departmental offices last week.
The union is also protesting the department's unilateral decision to withdraw from a collective bargaining agreement that set out tariffs for the setting and marking of matric exams. On Monday, the union apparently added another demand. It said the government should "urgently" fast track its scheme to provide more than 350,000 government school teachers with laptops.
The Teacher Laptop Initiative was first introduced in 2008, under the management of the Education Labour Relations Council and as part of the Department of Basic Education's plan to improve education. The project has largely been delayed because of financing issues.
Sadtu deputy general secretary Nkosana Dolopi said on Monday the threats of disciplinary action were further evidence that the department's leaders were unfit to improve the basic education system.
Mr Dolopi said Sadtu had sought legal permission for the strike from local authorities, and threats of disciplinary action represented "an apartheid mentality" to protests. He said the march would continue and Sadtu would "not be threatened" with regard to its campaign.
Speaking at a press conference, Sadtu provincial secretary Jonovan Rustin said it would be premature to say the "go-slow" would be intensified, effectively becoming a "full-blown" strike. But, he said:"We cannot rule it (the strike) out ... the national executive has the power to call for any action but we will follow the proper procedures."
He said a strike would be the last resort, "but we are hoping that the minister and the director-general will not allow the education system to collapse".
He said about 5,000 teachers would participate in the march. The march would also serve to celebrate the "victory for schools in the Western Cape".
Earlier this month the Constitutional Court refused Western Cape education MEC Donald Grant leave to appeal a decision to keep 17 schools in the province open.
Meanwhile, the Department of Basic Education has said Ms Motshekga will not be stepping down. Further, it said the unions had taken the matter of the collective agreement regarding the tariffs for markers to court and it was awaiting the court's decision.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on Ms Motshekga to "stand by her previous statement regarding the essential nature of education and stand up to Sadtu".
"She must apply for a court interdict preventing any further strike action," said DA basic education spokeswoman Annette Lovemore.
Department spokesman Panyaza Lesufi said "no work no pay" would apply on Wednesday, while principals who failed to monitor and register the attendance of teachers would face disciplinary action.
"Teachers who sign the register as being present at school but later leave to join protest action will be subjected to disciplinary procedures", he said.
The South African Teachers' Union announced on Monday that union members were "in solidarity with the basis" of Sadtu's campaign over collective bargaining, but would not join in any labour action.
*From: http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/education/2013/04/22/sadtu-members-to-march-on-parliament*
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